Jose Geraldo de Souza has dodged landmines, slept in the Sahara desert and was locked up in two prisons as he travelled 17300km in 3049 hours on a bike, all in a bid to reach his third World Cup.
De Souza, 52, who represents the charity Lions International, has travelled to three world cups: Spain in 1982, Mexico in 1986 and now South Africa.
He left Paris on his pedal go-kart in May 2008 to travel across Africa.
"The main reason [for the trip] is to raise awareness about two eye diseases that affect children in poor countries - cataracts and glaucoma," De Souza told The Times yesterday.
"The most dangerous place was when I passed through the western Sahara. It was 2C at night and 48C in the day. And I had to avoid landmines," he said.
During his adventure, De Souza was hosted by rebels in the north of Ivory Coast.
"The rebels treated me very well. They offered me a place to sleep and protected me."
De Souza hails from Brazil and says his son is his number-one fan.
During the 1982 World Cup, he hitch-hiked through Spain.
In 1986, he took a bicycle tour around the world and ended up in Mexico for the tournament.
He is still trying to find a sponsor for tickets for this year's World Cup.
His most memorable night was in Ivory Coast, when he had nowhere to sleep but on a stranger's veranda. "They did not have space in their house but this family offered me a bed on their porch.
"At about two in the morning the father ran out of the house - his daughter had just been born . He said I was good luck and named the baby after me, Josephina."
The most unusual places he slept in were a cemetery in Ivory Coast and two prisons: one of them in Olifantshoek, Northern Cape, the other in Ivory Coast.
"Both times the guards were so welcoming.
"I needed a place to stay and they showed me kindness."
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